Joe's stick had something of a crotch on the end of it and with this he began to rake among the dead leaves that had blown into the hollow log. He brought out a great quantity but no more snakes showed themselves.
“I reckon he was the only one after all, Ned.”
“The log is burning!” said Ned, an instant later. “See, the smoke is coming out of the hollow.”
“My stick is caught,” said Joe, pulling hard on something. “I guess—well, I declare!”
He gave a jerk, and from the hollow came a square object, covered with smoking dirt and leaves.
“What is it?”
“Unless I am mistaken, it is a tin box.”
“Oh, Joe, the blue box?”
Joe did not answer for he was brushing the smoking leaves and dirt from the object. As he cleaned it off he caught sight of some blue paint. On one end the box was badly charred from the fire.
“It's the blue box, sure enough,” said Joe.